Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Supertankers are operating in a 'dark' manner for extended periods to facilitate the movement of oil out of the Middle East. The supertankers utilize key maritime routes, specifically the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb strait. These operations employ tactics that echo those used during prior conflicts involving Iran.

Crew members surviving a deadly attack reported that three ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels struck their Yemeni commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, killing six people and injuring at least nine others. The attacks, which occurred while the ship was entering port, are part of an escalating campaign by the Houthis and risk reigniting Yemen’s civil war.

Clashes between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Yemeni government forces continued in Taiz, resulting in the death of at least one soldier, as Houthis have also attacked facilities in Saudi Arabia and shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait. Separately, concerns were raised over an oil spill off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran is cleaning up while demanding compensation for environmental damage.

Clashes continued between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and government forces in Yemen, with reports of soldiers killed in Taiz. The Houthis have been attacking military facilities and oil infrastructure in neighboring Saudi Arabia and hitting commercial ships in the Red Sea's Bab el-Mandeb strait. Separately, an oil spill near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz has raised environmental concerns regarding regional conflicts.

Clashes between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Yemeni government forces continue in Yemen, with recent attacks reported across the country, including targeting facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Additionally, an oil spill off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz has raised environmental concerns, prompting Iran to suggest that those benefiting from commercial shipping should compensate for the damage.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels renewed attacks on government-controlled areas in Yemen, striking the port city of Mokha with missiles and drones. These strikes raise fears over threats to strategic shipping routes, particularly the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, potentially reigniting Yemen's civil war. Furthermore, Iran continues to demand that the U.S. meet specific conditions before considering reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels renewed attacks on government-controlled areas in Yemen, hitting targets like Mokha and raising fears of reignited civil conflict and threats to strategic shipping routes. Concurrently, Iran's foreign minister reiterated that Tehran will not consider reopening the Strait of Hormuz until the U.S. fulfills its demands, following comments from Donald Trump demanding compensation from Iran.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels renewed attacks on government-controlled areas in Yemen, including the port city of Mokha, threatening strategic shipping routes. Separately, Iran's foreign minister underlined Tehran's refusal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the U.S. meets its conditions following comments by Donald Trump.

Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the Houthis' attacks on Saudi shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait highlight risks to global maritime navigation. Experts analyze implications for other critical waterways like the Strait of Malacca, Taiwan Strait, Panama Canal, Suez Canal, and Turkish Straits.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be announced as early as Wednesday, with Iran and Oman nearing an agreement. However, attacks on shipping in the region, including by Houthi rebels, continue to escalate tensions.

Saudi Aramco’s second-quarter profit rose 33% due to higher oil prices and strong refining margins, despite lower export volumes caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. The company maintained operations using infrastructure like the East-West pipeline and Red Sea terminals but faces challenges diverting prewar export levels. Aramco plans to expand export capacity to address future disruptions.

Yemen’s Houthi-run maritime authority denied reports of considering toll fees for commercial vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center stated that its safe-passage service is voluntary and does not require payment.

Wars in Iran and Ukraine are overlapping and expanding, with Ukraine attacking an Iranian cargo ship in the Caspian Sea and drones striking LNG tankers in Egypt. Saudi Arabia formed a Red Sea military coalition amid Houthi attacks, while analysts warn of converging conflicts threatening global shipping and European energy markets.

Yemen's Houthi-run maritime coordination body denied planning to impose fees on commercial ships through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, refuting a Reuters report citing regional sources. The denial came after the Houthis recently declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia.

Yemen's Houthi group denied reports of imposing tolls on vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait, stating transit remains free. They emphasized their Safe Transit Service is voluntary and provided at no cost, urging shipping companies not to pay unauthorized parties.

Saudi Arabia announced plans for a multinational maritime defense coalition to protect Red Sea shipping and energy routes from Houthi attacks. The coalition, which includes 43 countries and the European Union, aims to secure international trade and maritime interests in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden. Fourteen countries, including Turkey and Pakistan, supported the proposal, though Oman and the UAE did not.

Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked Saudi oil facilities, Iran fired missiles at Jordan, and drones targeted ships in Egypt, escalating tensions linked to the U.S.-Iran conflict over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran-backed groups in Iraq are also under Saudi and U.S. attacks, while the Houthi blockade threatens key trade routes like the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Suez Canal.

Kuwait's chief of staff, General Khaled Al-Shuraian, met in Saudi Arabia with a maritime defense coalition to preserve freedom of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The meeting was reported by Kuwait's state news agency.

The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged for now despite persistent inflation above its 2% target. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has stated 'no tolerance' for elevated inflation, but policymakers may delay action until September. Uncertainty from the Iran war and oil price fluctuations also influences the Fed's decision-making.

The U.S. intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces in the Middle East, ending a brief pause in hostilities. Saudi Arabia reported intercepting Iran-backed drone attacks, while Houthi rebels in Yemen targeted a Saudi oil tanker. Iraqi militias denied involvement in the drone strikes.

Saudi Arabia claims to have shot down drones fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq for a second day, while Houthi rebels in Yemen assert they forced a Saudi oil tanker to turn back as part of a self-declared blockade. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq denied involvement in the drone attacks, and the U.S. and Iran paused their fighting, though tensions persist over the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea shipping routes.

Tanker traffic through the Red Sea's Bab el-Mandeb Strait increased to a four-day high amid progress in US-Iran talks, alleviating pressure on oil shipments as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. Rising traffic follows tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi group.

An Asia-bound supertanker carrying Saudi oil has taken the longer Suez Canal route instead of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait due to Houthi threats. Other vessels continue to navigate the riskier Bab el-Mandeb Strait despite heightened uncertainty in the region.

The United States and Iran have agreed to halt attacks, marking a tentative step toward renewed diplomatic talks. A vessel was observed transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off southern Yemen on July 25, 2026.

Conflicts in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Black Sea are disrupting oil and refined product supplies, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Ukraine attacking Russian oil infrastructure. Refined fuel shortages are worsening due to depleted global stockpiles, causing sharp increases in crack spreads between oil and fuel prices.

Iran-backed Houthis fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu and Jizan cities, targeting Aramco facilities in response to Saudi airstrikes on Hodeida. The conflict escalates over control of the Red Sea's Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical shipping route, with the Houthis threatening to blockade it unless the Saudi blockade on Yemen ends. U.S. Central Command did not announce new strikes, and Iran condemned a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu and Jizan cities, targeting Aramco facilities in response to Saudi airstrikes on Hodeida. The Houthis threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical global shipping route, unless Saudi aggression and blockades cease. Saudi Arabia claimed it struck military targets in Hodeida, while Iran's foreign minister urged diplomatic solutions to the conflict.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu and Jizan targeting Aramco facilities in response to Saudi airstrikes on Hodeida. The attacks escalate tensions over the Red Sea's Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical shipping route, as the U.S. and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi strikes on Hodeida injured two people, while the U.S. did not announce new strikes overnight despite ongoing regional tensions.

Yemen's Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi cities Yanbu and Jizan, targeting Aramco facilities in response to Saudi airstrikes on Hodeida. The conflict escalates tensions over the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz, with Houthis threatening to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping, risking global trade disruptions.

Yemen’s Houthis fired missiles and drones on Saudi Arabia’s Aramco facilities in Yanbu and Jizan, responding to Saudi airstrikes on Hodeida. The conflict threatens global shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with Iran’s foreign minister urging diplomacy to resolve tensions.

The Houthis claimed attacks on two Aramco oil facilities in Saudi Arabia's Jizan and Yanbu, citing retaliation for airstrikes on Hodeidah port and Kamaran Island. They vowed to maintain a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in response to a Saudi blockade on Yemen and an attack on Sanaa's international airport. Saudi airstrikes reportedly killed Houthi members, including missile-launch experts, in Marib and al-Jawf provinces.

Saudi Arabia bombed Hodeidah in retaliation for a Houthi missile strike on a Saudi ship in the Red Sea. The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, imposed an embargo on Saudi shipping, disrupting maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Houthi spokesperson Mohammad Abdul Salam stated that the naval blockade in Bab el-Mandeb is exclusively against Saudi Arabia, denying claims of a full closure. He emphasized it is a response to Saudi Arabia's siege of Yemen.

The US is increasing engagement with Eritrea and Somalia to address shipping attacks in the Red Sea. Senior White House adviser Massad Boulos met with foreign ministers from these countries in Cairo to discuss security in the Horn of Africa. The situation has raised concerns over global energy supplies and crude prices.

The article discusses 'choke points' in the global economy, highlighting the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait as critical bottlenecks in oil traffic due to Houthi militant attacks and increased Saudi oil rerouting. It also links choke points to AI supply chain constraints and broader economic interdependence fraying under geopolitical competition.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, escalating tensions in the region. The strike is retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa’s international airport, heightening global shipping concerns as both the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Strait of Hormuz face disruptions, with Brent crude prices rising to their highest level since May.

The U.S. military concluded a 13th night of strikes against Iran, prompting Bahrain to activate sirens as tensions escalate over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to disrupt another key shipping route, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while oil prices surged past $100 a barrel.

The U.S. military conducted its 13th night of strikes against Iran, prompting Bahrain to warn residents of incoming fire. Iranian state media reported four deaths and nine injuries, while Houthi rebels attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, escalating tensions over control of strategic shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The article argues the United States has failed to achieve its political objectives in the war with Iran, resulting in a worsened regional situation, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and increased energy crisis risks. It criticizes the lack of a viable military solution and urges a focus on managing the conflict's economic and strategic consequences.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, escalating regional tensions and threatening to disrupt global trade. The U.S. warned of 'major military punishment' against Iran if Houthi attacks continue, as oil prices surged above $100 a barrel amid fears of further conflict.